US2439878A

US2439878A - Gunner's turret for aircraft

Info

Publication number: US2439878A
Application number: US523230A
Authority: US
Inventors: Julius G Villepigue
Original assignee: North American Aviation Corp
Current assignee: North American Aviation Corp
Priority date: 1944-02-21
Filing date: 1944-02-21
Publication date: 1948-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 1965-04-20

Description

April 20, 1948. J. G. VILLEPIGUE GUNNERS TURRET FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Feb. 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y N r QN M a h I. a N 0W M .UN QWMJ M 90 Y R r wk 8 HIHIIA ll? li w. Q a Q6.. mum .NN Mfr ".1 \m w xv Wm,

p 1948' J. G. VILLEPIGUE GUNNER'S TURRET FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Feb. 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 20, 1948 2,439,878 GUNNERS TURRET FOR AIRCRAFT Julius G. Villeplgue, In

North American Aviation, Inc., Inglewood,

glewood,

Calm, assignor Calm, a corporation of Delaware Application February 21, 1944, Serial No. 523,230 8 Claims. (01. 89-375) This invention relates to gunners turrets for aircraft and has as its general object to provide an improved turret mechanism adaptable particularly for the nose of a military plane.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a turret arrangement which permits the gunner to have maximum target visibility. To this end, the invention provides an arrangement in which the gunner may operate in a kneeling position, with his head and the upper portion of his body extended in the direction of fire, and with his eyes positioned well forward of the center of the turret.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turret that afiords a double armored protection for the gunner.

Another object is to provide a turret arrangement in which the gunner may have direct visibility through a window at the outermost extremity of the turret, and in which such window may be of armor glass and arranged to form the outer extremity of an armored cavity inside the turret, in which body may be accommodated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turret,

der local control of the gunner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a turret incorporating novel mechanism for braction. To this end, the invention provides an arrangement wherein the turret is mounted for oscillation in elevation on a horizontal axis with reference to a, yoke which in turn is mounted for arrangement extending rearwardly and cooperating, with rolling contact, with an arouate track carried by a fixed portion of the fuselage.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a plan view, in horizontal section, of a turret mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same, taken on the line ltl of Fig. 3.

As an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, I have shown in the drawn shaft l8, and thus the upper portion of the gunners axial with ings a turret arrangement in the nose portion of a military airplane, indicated generally at Ill. The turret parti-spherical shape, is

a bracket 23. To the yoke I6 is secured a tripod brace 22, which extends rearwardly and carries a series of rollers 24. The rollers 24 cooperate with an arcuate track 26 which is mounted in a horizontal plane in the nose portion l0, being anchored to one of the bows 28 thereof. The track 26 is formed on an arc of a circle concentric with the vertical axis of the permits the yoke 86 to rotate about the vertical gun recoil, which the cylinder 32 to the tripod 22.

The turret 82 includes the parti-spherlcal shell portion 30 which is of light armor-plate construction, and a cylinder 32, also of armor plate, which is, in the normal turret position shown, co-

the longitudinal axis of the fuselage it. The forward end of the cylinder 32 is secured to the shell 3E, and an intermediate region thereof The upper and lower regions of the rear portion of the cylinder 32 are cut away as at 35 and 377 to provide the spaced extensions 33.

the body of the operator referred to hereinafter. The extensions 33 carry opposed bearings 36 by means of which the cylinder, and thus the entire turret, is mounted upon the trunnions i l for oscillation in elevation.

In the upper region of the shell 39 is an armate slot 38, through which the tubular bracket 29 extends, the slot 38 being of sufiicient length ried by the bracket 28, closes the slot 38. The rear portion of the shell is open as at 30.

Four machine guns :32 are mounted upon the rlindcr 32 and project through the forward excmity of the shell l2.

In the lower region of the shell 02 is a floor iembcr 46 which supports a cushion 48, on which 1e gunner 50 may kneel, withthe upper porion of his body projecting forwardly into the ylinder 32. Thus the gunner's eyes may be poltioned close to the window 44 for maximum taret visibility, while the vital portions of the guniers body are protected within the armored wall f the cylinder 32. Added armored protection s provided by the bulkhead 34, the window 44, ll'ld the shell 30.

The gunner is supported in this reclining po- 52, which is mounted on an arm at 56 to the floor member 46. The seat may be folded rearwardly and downwardly to permit the gunner to enter and leave the turret.

Defined between two spaced bulkheads 59 and 6f, located centrally of the turret, in planes extending transversely of the axis of the cylinder 32, in an annular space in which is accommodated a pair of upper ammunition magazines 58 and a pair of lower ammunition magazines 60 (Fig. 4) The upper regions of the bulkheads 59 and BI are formed with channelled

portions

63 and 65 respectively, adapted to accommodate the tubular support 2| when the turret is oscillated in elevation. The channelled portion 65 is cut away as at 61 to accommodate the upper turret operating motor which will be referred to hereinafter. This cutaway space 61 in the rear bulkhead is extended laterally sufliciently to give access to the upper magazines 64 for loading the same.

The bulkheads 59 and SI are annular in form with the exception that they are cut away below the cylinder 32 to provide a space 69 to accommodate the floor member 46 and the gunners legs, as indicated in Fig. 2. In Fig. 4 the forward bulkhead 59 is removed to show the operating mechanism therebehind.

The empty cartridge cases are ejected through chutes B6 and 68 respectively which are bent rearwardly and extended through the rear bulkhead 6I so as to either side of the gunner. These spaces may, if desired, be suitably inclosed so as to provide receptacles for the cartridges.

For oscillating the turret in elevation, I provide a motor 19 carried by an extension 33 of cylinder 32, and a worm and gear unit 12. This worm and gear unit may embody a casing M formed as part of a bearing 36, a worm (not shown) carried by the shaft of the motor 10 and a worm wheel 16 (Fig. 4) rigidly secured to a trunnion M of the yoke I6.

Oscillation of the turret in azimuth is provided for by a motor 18 mounted on an extension 80 of the bracket 23. Carried by the motor shaft is a worm 82 which meshes with a worm gear 84 attached to the spindle l8.

Being built into the turret structure, these motor devices lend themselves readily to being locally controlled by the operator.

The foregoing may be taken as illustrative of one form in which the invention may be embodied, it being my intention to cover in my claims the use of any equivalent arrangement or apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. Aircraft turret construction comprising an outer wall of parti-spherical shape, a tubular inner wall disposed within said outer wall and adapted to receive the upper portion 01 a gm.

discharge into the spaces on.

4 means for supporting said outer wall for oscillation in the azimuth and in elevation and a window in said outer wall in registering with one end of said tubular inner wall.

2. Aircraft turret construction comprising an outer wall of parti-spherical shape, a tubular inner wall disposed within said outer wall and adapted to receive the upper portion of a gunners body, a window in said outer wall registering with one end of said tubular wall, and a plurality of guns disposed in spaced array about and caried by said tubular inner wall, said guns projecting through said outer wall.

3. Aircraft turret construction comprising an outer wall of parti-spherical shape, a tubular inner wall disposed within saidouter wall and adapted to receive the upper portion of a gunners body, a window in said outer wall registering with one end of said tubular inner wall, and means upon which the inner end of said tubular inner wall is journalled for supporting said turret for oscillation in azimuth and in elevation about a horizontal axis.

4. Aircraft turret construction comprising a parti-spherical outer wall of armor plate, a cylindrical inner wall, one end of which is attached to said outer wall and is provided with a disk of armor glass forming a window in said outer wall, a plurality of guns carried by said cylindrical inner wall in spaced array therearound and projecting through said outer wall, and means for supporting a gunner in ners body,

a kneeling position with the upper portion of his body extending into the space within said cylindrical inner wall and toward said window.

5. Turrent construction as defined in Claim 4, including a bulkhead of armor plate the periphcry of which is attached to said outer wall and the inner region of which supports the intermediate portlon of said cylindrical inner wall.

6. Turret construction as defined in Claim 4, including means on which the opposite end of said cylindrical inner wall is journalled for supporting said turret for oscillation in elevation about a horizontal, transverse axis.

'7. Aircraft turret construction comprising a parti-spherical outer wall, a cylindrical inner wall, an armor ring in which the intermediate portion of said inner wall is supported, the periphery of said ring being attached to said outer upon and about said inner wall, magazines disposed in the annular space between said inner and outer walls and rearwardly of said 8. Aircraft turret construction comprising, in combination with a fuselage, a yoke including a normally upwardly projecting spindle and means, carried by said fuselage, in which said spindle is mounted for oscillation on a normally vertical axis, a turret suspended upon said yoke for oscillation in elevation about a normally horizontal axis, a plurality of guns mounted so as to transmit their recoil to said yoke, bracing means having one end attached to said yoke and arranged to oppose the recoil transmitted to the yoke, and an arcuate track carried by the fuselage, said bracing means having means for making rolling abutment with said track for transmitting said recoil thereto while permitting the yoke to oscillate about said vertical axis.

JULIUS G. VILLEPIGUE.

' (References on following page) v 5 8 'RHERENCES CIT Nunlflszer Country Date 7 3 Fran The following references are of record in the 33 s: me of this P 797,795 France Feb.24,1936 v. i TENT 5 800,561 France May 4, 1936 mm. STATES PA 8 800,959 France May 11, 1936 Nugzllier Name Date 4 817,970 France June 17, 1937 2, 6 ,121 Martin Nov. 2, 1 1 2,358,257 Sehwab Sept. 12, 1944 OTHER REFERENCES 2,366,410 Klemperer et a! --Jan. 2, 1945 -10 Flight Magazilze, pages 122, "Power-0perated GunTurretsHFe 4, 1 4 FOREIGN PATENTS "The Bali Turret," Life Magazine, January 24, Number Country Date 1944, page 66. I

422,009 Great Britain Jan. 3, 1935 The Task Force," Life Magazine, Apr. 6, 1942, 541,285 Great Britain Nov. 20. 1941 15 page 68.